To date, research from represented model organisms has revealed that numerous signaling pathways, such as the Wnt (Wingless/Integrated), FGF (Fibroblast growth factor), BMP (Bone morphogenetic protein), Notch, and TGF-β (Transforming growth factor-beta)/Nodal signaling pathways, are involved in mesoderm specification and movement. During gastrulation, the most dramatic morphogenetic change takes place on mesodermal cells, which are specified and spread between ectoderm and endoderm. Thus, gastrulation plays pivotal roles during embryogenesis and organogenesis. Primordial organs or tissue rudiments are then formed along the axis and ultimately develop into functional organs or tissues. By temporal-spatial coordination of cell specification and dynamic cell movement, a three germ layer body plan is established, accompanied by embryonic axis formation, during gastrulation. That fertilized eggs are developed to shaped individuals, rather than mounds of pluripotent cells, is largely due to a short period termed gastrulation, which comprises a great many critical events, such as morphogenetic movements, specification of body axes and germ layer, and body plan establishment. Collectively, these results suggest that Hes5.9 plays a crucial role in cell fate decisions and cell migration during gastrulation, which is modulated by the FGF and Notch signaling pathways.Įmbryogenesis is an extremely complex process. Furthermore, gain- and loss-of-function of Hes5.9 led to defective cell migration and disturbed the expression patterns of mesodermal and endodermal marker genes, thus interfering with gastrulation. We identified a novel helix–loop–helix DNA binding domain gene ( Hes5.9), which was regulated by the FGF and Notch signaling pathways during gastrulation. However, the coordination of the Notch and FGF signaling pathways during gastrulation remains unclear.

Mesodermal cell fate specification and morphogenetic movements are vital factors coordinating gastrulation, which are regulated by numerous signaling pathways, such as the Wnt (Wingless/Integrated), Notch, and FGF (Fibroblast growth factor) pathways. Gastrulation drives the establishment of three germ layers and embryonic axes during frog embryonic development.

Xenopus blastopore